Happy Frostval Oneshot
by MarigoldWolf
Summary: Short little story involving my characters in-game. Happy Holidays!


**A/N: Okay, short little Christmas story for this year (I will admit, last couple of years I haven't been in a Christmas type mood 'cause of a lot of tragedy that happened back in 2012) and with something other than my usual stories. I might start putting up AQWorlds stuff on here (I do have a lot on my dA account but most of it is OLLLLDDD) or other stories involving the Artix Entertainment games. And pretty much all the OCs involved are based on my different accounts on the game site.**

 **DISCLAIMER: AQWorlds and all that's in it (places, monsters, characters) belong to Artix Entertainment. I only own my OCs.**

 **AQWorlds Oneshot- Happy Frostval!:**

"Rip, no! Down boy!" Riki yelped as the kangaroo tried to jump into his arms. He was carrying a large box of decorations for the upcoming Frostval holiday. The kangaroo could tell his owner didn't want to pick him up, so he pouted and went to find something else to do. "Oh, thank the elements..."

He set the box down on the nearest table, about to open it when he heard a voice call from the orb around his neck. "Hello?"

"RIKI!" the voice yelled, startling the red-eyed young man into almost dropping it. "Oops, I had the volume up too high again, didn't I?"

"Apparently. What is it, Saku?"

"Is Nia home yet? I gotta talk with her about something important!"

"Not yet. She should be coming back after doing a few quests out in Darkovia. How important is this 'something'?"

"I forgot to get a present for Flaria this year!"

"Really? This close to the holiday?"

"Uh, duh! This is me we're talking about!"

"Good point." Riki heard the door open. "Oh, sounds like she's back." He turned to see the dark brown and purple eyed Nia. "Took a bit longer than expected?"

"You have NO idea," Nia sighed.

"Well, Saku's on the line. He's needing a bit of help with something." He took off the necklace holding the orb, handing it to her.

"Yes, Saku?"

"Nia! Help me find a present for Flaria! I'm panicking here!"

"Okay okay, calm down. Where are you at?"

"Uhh...Sandsea...I think?"

"You think? Oh boy. Alright, I'll be there soon enough. Just...don't fight any of the monsters there. They're a bit too strong for you."

"Got it!" The orb lost its light, indicating the connection was cut off.

"Here." Nia handed Riki back the necklace.

"So Saku forgot again this year?"

"Seems so. You'd think after about four years of us traveling together would get his head on straight. Guess not. Looks like I'm heading out for Sandsea."

"I'll come with-"

"No!" Riki looked a bit shocked at the outburst. "I mean, um, no, that's okay. I can handle a couple of Sandsharks if need be. And I've got enough potions for the area."

"Okay, but call me if they're a bit too much to handle. I'll try dusting off one of my Classes that can heal allies."

"Noted. Be back before dark!" Nia picked up the bag she had set down and headed back out.

Riki sighed. _She's acting very strange lately,_ he thought, going back to his earlier task of opening the box. _I've always been able to tell what Nia's thinking, after almost a year of being her partner while we worked under Gravelyn, but the last couple of days she's been in and out of the house so much that I worry what she's doing. Is she...scared that the chaos inside of me will take over? No...that can't be it...right?But there was that incident last month..._

He thought back to what happened. They (Nia, himself, Darren, and Flaria) were fighting a really powerful enemy while the others (Cathy and Saku) were healing themselves after taking some heavy damage from both the attacks and poison. The poison from the monster had a different effect on Riki. Rather than him slowly getting weaker each time he attacked...it broke the control he had of the chaos inside of him, forcing him to transform into his beast form. Thankfully, Flaria managed to recite a sleeping spell on him before he could do any more damage. That had been the first time in two years since he had such an intense episode.

 _No, what am I thinking?! If Nia ever had a problem with my condition, she would have said it by now! She's not one to keep secrets like that from me._ Riki shook his head, pulling out the decorations. _Well, better get these all set up before she comes back...if she does in time..._

(Scene Shift- With Nia)

"Good gosh it's cold!" Nia shivered, hugging her arms.

"What did you expect, cousin? You're wearing the wrong outfit for this season!" Saku said.

"Like I didn't know that. My winter outfit got shredded during my last quest in Doomwood and I haven't had time to fix it. I was saving up to get Riki's present."

"I thought you had enough money to get his gift already."

"Well...that's the thing...it went up last I checked and I had to hurry and do more quests if I wanted to get it. I know it's a Class he's been wanting to buy, but he wouldn't ask me to help pay for it."

"I swear, I don't know who's worse 'bout that, Darren or Riki."

"Darren. He's always got to be snobbish about it. Riki's more polite."

"Somehow, that answer doesn't surprise me. Think he bought that 'I forgot to get Flaria a gift' explanation?"

"Saku...it is coming from you of all people. Kind of hard not to believe that."

"Hehe...good point, but I planned ahead this year and no one knew about it other than you!"

"That's because 1) I was with you when you bought it and 2) I'm your cousin."

"True...oh hey! There's the Class Shop!" Saku nodded toward the stand.

"Let's hope I can still buy that Class."

The two walked up to the stand. Nia looked over at the prices, going through them until she came across the one she wanted. She looked at the price, then her money pouch, and groaned. "Shoot, still not enough..."

"How much more do you need?" Saku asked.

"Like...at least ten more coins..."

"Then why don't you ask Aunt Sapphire for help? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"I can't ask my mom!"

"And why not? It's not like you're in a fight with her, right?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Come on, cousin! This isn't the right time to be stubborn! Either you get it now or miss out until the shops open back up."

Nia sighed, rubbing her eyes. "Fine...quick trip back to my parents' place and then grab the Class."

"See? Was that hard?"

"I still have half a mind to kick you off of the top of Dwarfhold Keep..."

(Scene Shift- Couple of Hours Later)

 _Whew, got it all fixed up,_ Riki thought as he closed the box, wrapping it as quickly as he could. _Hope she likes it...I couldn't really afford that new sword set she was glimpsing at, but she keeps telling me she doesn't mind not getting gifts._ He just set the gift on the table next to the empty box when he heard the door open and a voice call out.

"Riki? Are you still here?" Nia's voice called.

"In here!" he replied.

She came up, holding a large box. "Phew, I thought you would have gone out by now."

"This _is_ technically my house, Nia. I don't think I'd be sneaking off to anywhere else. Please tell me you didn't get a baby dragon."

"Hardy har. We have enough pets running around here with Puff, Rip, and the Darkside wolf." When she said that, a dark blue furred wolf with lighter blue designs appeared from her shadow and ran off into the next room. "Speaking of which..."

"Good thing I packed away all the breakables then. So...what IS in the box?"

"Open it and find out, Rik." She put the box on the table. "Wait, what's that?"

"It's your gift." Riki took the box, pausing for a second. "This isn't going to explode...is it?"

"I didn't get it from Cysero's shop. That's all I'm telling you. I better ask if this doesn't explode."

Riki chuckled. "Yeah, sorry. I don't have any exploding spells." Riki opened the box, looked inside, and pulled some of the contents out. "Isn't this...?"

"The Elemental Dracomancer Class. Yeah. I had to make a quick run to my parents' house to beg Mom for a few extra coins. I came up short after all the quests I've been doing." She opened her gift, pulling out the blue fabric. "My Hyperborean Blues armor!"

"Yeah, I spent almost all day mending it." Riki held up a hand covered in bandages. "May have stuck myself one too many times...I think I should stick more to alchemy than sewing...sorry I couldn't buy you something new."

Nia gave a small smile. "Well, I prefer more of something made than bought myself. Thanks, Riki."

"Of course. Happy Frostval, Nia.

"Happy Frostval to you too, Riki." She walked up to him and kissed his cheek.

Right then, Rip the kangaroo, Puff the gold and silver Trobble, and the Darkside wolf came rushing in and tackled both of them to the ground. "Rip!" "Puff!" the two heroes laughed as all three joined them.

 **A/N: Okay, not very 'Christmas'y, but Frostval IS the game's equivalent...actually hold on, I've got an extra scene here:**

(Scene Shift- Next Day)

"Saku, catch!" Nia yelled, chucking the snowball.

"Wha- AAAAHHH!" Saku yelped, feeling the snow get under the back of his shirt. "That's COLD!"

"Nice hit, Nia," Flaria said, high five-ing her.

"Saku, object of the game is to NOT get hit," Darren scolded from behind the large snow mound.

"Hey, I was caught off guard!"

"You would last _so_ long in actual battle..."

"Coming from the guy not paying attention to all that's around him," Riki commented.

"What are you-" Darren was cut off as a large pile of snow hit him from up above. He blinked confusedly before growling. "Loner!"

On the girl's side, a blue haired girl, Cathy, laughed her butt off. "Ha ha ha! I got him good!" she laughed.

"Okay, you have GOT to teach me how to do that," Nia said.

"Sorry, trade secret."

"So...how are we going to beat the girls at a snowball fight this year?" Saku asked the other two.

"Well...I guess we could try that trick Cat just did..." Riki replied, rubbing his chin.

"No. We do this like how it's supposed to go," Darren growled. "I'll be right back. Hold your ground." He got up and stalked off.

"Hold our ground, he says, and then leaves us to- AH!" Saku barely dodged an incoming snowball.

Not half an hour later, Darren came back with a catapult. "THAT'S your strategy?" Riki said, eyes bugging out.

"Of course. Best way to hit behind their lines," Darren replied.

"Well...if it's just throwing snow...I'm in!" Saku exclaimed.

Riki face-palmed. "I'm backing out of this one."

"Suit yourself."

"What are they doing with a catapult?" Flaria asked, looking over at what the guys were doing.

"Sounds like Darren's being a sore loser," Nia sighed.

"We haven't won yet, though."

"Does he really think a catapult is going to help?" Cathy said with a nonchalant look. "Well, time to ready the defensive..."

"What's our defensive?" Nia and Flaria asked.

"You'll see~"

Darren and Saku gathered enough snow to put on the catapult. "Okay, on my signal," Darren said.

"So I just pull this lever, right?" Saku asked.

"This is a bad idea," Riki muttered.

"Ready...and...FIRE!" Saku pulled the lever as Darren yelled the signal, sending a large collection of snow toward where the girls were.

"And that's my signal," Cathy said, her eyes glowing silver for a second.

The snow stopped before it hit the girls and then did a backwards loop...right back to the guys. "I told you!" Riki yelled before all three of them got buried in snow.

"Whoo-hoo!" "We win!" "Not bad at all," the three girls cheered.

The boys managed to dig themselves out a little from the snow, Darren looking really cross. "Okay, new rule for Frostval next year: no more girls vs boys shenanigans. We pick the teams."

"Agreed," Riki and Saku replied.

 **A/N: Okay, I'm done. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, guys!**


End file.
